System and method for reducing three-dimensional additive manufacturing production time

ABSTRACT

A system for releasing an additive manufactured part from a build location is disclosed having a cure inhibitor transport system to resupply a cure inhibitor at a cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer where the additive manufactured part is built, the transport system comprises a cure inhibiting reservoir to initially hold the cure inhibitor, a cure inhibiting distributor layer adjacent to the cure inhibiting reservoir through which the cure inhibitor passes from the cure inhibitor reservoir to the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer and into the adjacent photopolymer creating a cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer. Another system and method are also disclosed.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.62/352,413 filed Jun. 20, 2016, and incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND

Additive manufacturing devices produce three-dimensional parts fromfeedstock by, according to part creation instructions, sequentiallyadding materials to a part being formed. Additive manufacturing enablesquick, easy, precise, and repeatable creation of a variety of objects.

Fused filament fabrication additive manufacturing devices, also known asfused deposition modeling printers, create parts via depositing meltingfilament in a raster pattern. Such devices can generally only produceparts having a resolution of 150 to 300 microns at sizes fewer than twofeet per side. At such scales, part creation times are significant dueto the raster movement of the filament extruder. Furthermore, suchfilaments are not suitable for well-known techniques such as lost waxcasting and also produce a part which is prone to losing portions ofitself due to strands of filament coming off because of poor bondingbetween adjacent strands of filament.

Photopolymer-based additive manufacturing devices are capable ofgenerating parts having a higher feature resolution, often measured inthe 10s of microns. Such parts may also be used in lost wax castingprocesses. Photopolymer-based additive manufacturing devices typicallycomprise a movable build plate, a controllable light source, aphotopolymer supply (e.g., a vat of photopolymer) and a build area wherephotopolymer from the photopolymer supply is selectively cured, formingportions of the part being created. The part is connected to the buildplate as it is created. Each newly created portion of the part (e.g., alayer) adheres to the build area as it is created, necessitatingseparation of the part from the build area by applying a separationforce. This may be accomplished by peeling, pulling, sliding or othermovements. In some cases, the separation force is strong enough todistort or destroy fragile portions of a part because the fragileportion is stretched, strained, and even completely separated from thepart as the part is repositioned to form the next layer of the part.Because this separation force destroys or damages fine detailing in adesired part design, quality is limited.

Each newly formed layer must be separated from the build area surfacebefore additional photopolymer material may be deposited (by flowing,deposition or otherwise supplying the material), exposed toelectromagnetic radiation and added to the part. Bonding and/or vacuumforces may connect the newly formed portion of the part to the buildarea surface. These forces must be overcome in a manner which does notdamage the part being created, thereby establishing a minimum featuresize and maximum print speed.

Many prior art additive manufacturing devices use either at least aslide motion or tilt motion to release a part being built during thebuild process to separate it from a build table so that a next layer tothe part may be applied. These motions are required to minimizedestructive forces on the part being built. One known prior art approachuses both a lift and slide motion that occurs at a same time, orsimultaneously, to assist in release of the part from the build table.Providing any of these motions requires an additional powered releasemechanism to be a part of the additive manufacturing device andincreases the length of time required to form the part.

Pulling a part being formed vertically upward from a build area is knownand a need for an additional powered release mechanism is not needed.Prior art attempts to only vertically lift the part have proven to takelonger when compared to employing a slide or tilt motion. How far tolift the part and at what rate to lift the part to reliably produce apart are unknown. To compensate, such prior art systems that utilizevertical lift only compromise to avoid damage by providing a slow liftrate to a high height to ensure no damage occurred where rate and heightare static for any part build.

Though the additive manufacturing process described above is consideredrapid manufacturing, there are several inefficiencies in the process andknown additive manufacturing devices which could be improved upon tofurther enhance the processing speed. Given the foregoing, users of suchdevices would benefit from an additive manufacturing device whichfacilitates a more rapid and efficient operation that would result inimproved manufacturing time.

SUMMARY

Embodiments relate to a system and a method to provide for a more rapidprocessing time realized with an additive manufacturing device. Thesystem comprises a cure inhibitor transport system to resupply a cureinhibitor at a cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer where theadditive manufactured part is built, the transport system comprises acure inhibiting reservoir to initially hold the cure inhibitor, a cureinhibiting distributor layer adjacent to the cure inhibiting reservoirthrough which the cure inhibitor passes from the cure inhibitorreservoir to the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer and into theadjacent photopolymer creating a cure inhibited photopolymer resinlayer.

Another system comprises a surface that provides a reference plane, adeformable layer adjacent to the surface, a cure inhibiting reservoiradjacent to the deformable layer, and a cure inhibiting distributorlayer adjacent to the cure inhibiting reservoir.

The method comprises maintaining a supply of a cure inhibitor at cureinhibiting reservoir that is a part of an additive manufacturing device.The method also comprises dispersing the cure inhibitor into a cureinhibiting distributor layer, the cure inhibiting distributor layer isin communication with the cure inhibiting reservoir and the cureinhibitor passes into a plurality of channels in the cure inhibitingdistributor layer. The method further comprises producing the additivemanufactured part by operation of the additive manufacturing device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A more particular description briefly stated above will be rendered byreference to specific embodiments thereof that are illustrated in theappended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typicalembodiments and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of itsscope, the embodiments will be described and explained with additionalspecificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings inwhich:

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of an additivemanufacturing device;

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a crosssection of the build location;

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a block diagram illustrating anembodiment of a cross section of the build location;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method forimproving an efficiency of an additive manufacturing device;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method forimproving an efficiency of an additive manufacturing device;

FIG. 6 shows a timeline illustrating an embodiment of the methoddisclosed in either FIG. 4 or FIG. 7;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating another embodiment of a method forimproving an efficiency of an additive manufacturing device; and

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative computing functionality that may be used tocomponents on the additive manufacturing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Embodiments are described herein with reference to the attached figureswherein like reference numerals are used throughout the figures todesignate similar or equivalent elements. The figures are not drawn toscale and they are provided merely to illustrate aspects disclosedherein. Several disclosed aspects are described below with reference tonon-limiting example applications for illustration. It should beunderstood that numerous specific details, relationships, and methodsare set forth to provide a full understanding of the embodimentsdisclosed herein. One having ordinary skill in the relevant art,however, will readily recognize that the disclosed embodiments can bepracticed without one or more of the specific details or with othermethods. In other instances, well-known structures or operations are notshown in detail to avoid obscuring aspects disclosed herein. Theembodiments are not limited by the illustrated ordering of acts orevents, as some acts may occur in different orders and/or concurrentlywith other acts or events. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts orevents are required to implement a methodology in accordance with theembodiments.

Notwithstanding that the numerical ranges and parameters setting forththe broad scope are approximations, the numerical values set forth inspecific non-limiting examples are reported as precisely as possible.Any numerical value, however, inherently contains certain errorsnecessarily resulting from the standard deviation found in theirrespective testing measurements. Moreover, all ranges disclosed hereinare to be understood to encompass any and all sub-ranges subsumedtherein. For example, a range of “less than 10” can include any and allsub-ranges between (and including) the minimum value of zero and themaximum value of 10, that is, any and all sub-ranges having a minimumvalue of equal to or greater than zero and a maximum value of equal toor less than 10, e.g., 1 to 4.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of an embodiment of an additivemanufacturing device. The additive manufacturing device 100 is providedto construct a part 102 by curing photopolymer resin 110 via exposure tothe electromagnetic radiation 118 from a light source 114 or radiationsource. The electromagnetic radiation source 114 such as, but notlimited to, a projector, is positioned such that its emissions passthrough a transmissive part of a build plate 106, or reference plate, tocure a photopolymer material 110 within a build area 112 located abovethe build plate 106. The electromagnetic radiation 118 may be providedin a pattern which causes a photopolymer layer 108 to harden into a newportion of the part 102, thereby constructing the part 102portion-by-portion (e.g., in a layer-wise fashion).

During construction, the part 102 is attached to a build table 104. Thebuild table 104 supports the part 102 as the part 102 is beingconstructed. The build table 104 may comprise a planar, movable surfaceattached to an actuator 120. The actuator 120 may vertically raise andlower the part 102 in a step-wise fashion during construction such thatadditional layers may be added to the part 102. When lowered, the part102 may leave a gap for formation of the next layer 108. After formationof the next layer, the next layer may rest on a cure inhibited layer240, discussed further herein.

The additive manufacturing device 100 may also comprise a vat 122. Thebuild plate 106 may form at least a portion of the bottom portion of thevat 122. The vat 122 houses photopolymer resin 110 that is used tocreate the part 102 as disclosed herein.

The build plate 106 may be wholly or partially optically transparent.Portions of the part 102 are cured by light 118 passing through portionsof the build plate 106.

FIG. 2 shows a block diagram illustrating an embodiment of a crosssection of the build plate. The build plate 106 is part of an assemblerdevice for constructing a three-dimensional part in a layer-wise fashionwhere the part is made of a resin that is hardened when energy isemitted through the imaging component. The build plate 106 comprises atransparent image plate 210 that is at least one of rigid and semirigid. The plate 210 has a top image plate surface 212 and a bottomimage plate surface 211. The bottom image plate surface 211 is on a sidewhere the energy source 114 is located. A cure inhibiting reservoir 220is located adjacent to the top surface 212 of the plate 210. A cureinhibiting distributor layer 230 is located adjacent to the cureinhibiting reservoir 220. A cure inhibiting photopolymer resin layer 240is located adjacent to the cure inhibiting distributor layer 230. Thecure inhibiting photopolymer resin layer 240 may be created, in part,from a cure inhibitor that is provided from the cure inhibited reservoir220. The cure inhibitor passes through the cure inhibiting distributorlayer 230 into the cure inhibited polymer resin layer 240.

The plate 210 may be transparent. More specifically, as illustrated inFIG. 1, the plate 210 may provide for illumination by a light source 114to pass through the plate 210. As a non-limiting example, the plate 210may be made of Borofloat® glass, due to its high ultraviolet lighttransmissivity properties.

The cure inhibiting reservoir 220 may comprise a film or coatingpermeable by the cure inhibitor. As a non-limiting example, oxygen maybe the cure inhibitor. Another gas, or gas combination may also beprovided as the cure inhibitor. The cure inhibiting reservoir 220 may beattached to a top side of the plate 210. As a non-limiting example, thecure inhibiting reservoir may comprise polydimethylsiloxane (“PDMS”). Inanother non-limiting example, the cure inhibiting reservoir 220 may havea durometer between Shore 00 0 and Shore A 43. The cure inhibitingreservoir 220 provides for a cure inhibitor such as, but not limited to,oxygen, to be dissolved within the material of the cure inhibitingreservoir 220. The cure inhibitor naturally disburses within thereservoir 220.

The cure inhibiting distributor layer 230 may comprise a plurality ofchannels or cavities, micro or nano channels or cavities, through whichthe cure inhibitor may pass to reach the cure inhibited photopolymerresin layer 240. As a non-limiting example, the cure inhibitingdistributor layer 230 may comprise Teflon® AF2400 as provided by TheChemours Company. Those skilled in the art know that Teflon® AF2400 isan amorphous fluoroplastic with an oxygen permeability of 700 Barrer andglass transition temperature of 200 degrees Celsius.

The cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer 240 may comprise uncuredphotopolymer resin impregnated with the cure inhibitor. Since a partbeing manufactured may only require certain segments to receive anadditional additive layer during any particular application, the cureinhibitor may freely move to an area within at least one of the cureinhibiting reservoir 220, cure distributor layer 230, and cure inhibitedphotopolymer resin layer 240 where a depletion of cure inhibitor mayoccur during the build process.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of a block diagram illustrating anembodiment of a cross section of the build location. As shown, adeformable layer 310 is located between the plate 210 and the cureinhibitor reservoir layer 220. The deformable layer 310 comprises a lowdurometer optically transparent gel that has a durometer that less thanShore A 45. In a non-limiting example, the gel may be a gel manufacturedby Silicone Solutions of Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, and marketed as SS-6080,that has a durometer of Shore 00 0. As used herein, the deformable layer310 layer has a durometer less than a durometer of the cure inhibitorreservoir 220 and a durometer of the cure inhibiting distributor layer230. In an embodiment, each component has a different durometer of Shorehardness rating.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a securing element 260 may be provided. Asshown in FIG. 2, the securing element 260 may be used to attach thereference plane surface 210 to the cure inhibitor reservoir layer 220.As further shown in FIG. 2, the securing element 260 may also hold inplace the cure inhibitor distributor layer 230. The cure inhibitedliquid photopolymer layer 240 may also be secured or attached to thesecuring element 260. As shown in FIG. 3, the securing element 260 mayhold in place the deformable layer 310, cure inhibiting reservoir, cureinhibiting distributor layer and surface. More specifically, thesecuring element may hold in place the deformable layer 310, cureinhibiting reservoir 220, and cure inhibiting distributor layer 230 tothe surface 210. The securing element may be a frame 260. The frame 360may be located along at least one edge of the cure inhibitor transportsystem and the reference plane to secure the cure inhibitor transportsystem and the reference plane in place with respect to each other. Morespecifically, the frame 360 may be located along at least one edge ofthe reference plane surface 210 to attach it to the cure inhibitorreservoir layer 220 (as shown in FIG. 2) or along at least one edge ofthe reference plane surface 210 and deformable layer 310. Those skilledin the art will recognize that other ways to utilize the securingelement 260 are possible.

Processing speed of the additive manufacturing device may be furtherincreased where sizing information about a part being built is evaluatedeither real-time during the build process or pre-calculated to determinea rate and a distance of lifting the part from the build plate andreturning the part to the build plate. As a non-limiting example,pre-calculating may be used prior to creating first part when aplurality of identical parts is to be made. As a non-limiting examplewith respect to a real-time calculation procedure, as a part layer isbeing applied, a calculation may be performed for a subsequent part tobe made. In either embodiment, a part's geometry may be factored in todetermine both the rate of a vertical release, height of a verticalrelease and duration of delaying the part during build to another doseof radiation energy. Thus, the rate may be variable, meaning that thespeed of lifting, and even lowering, may vary during the lift phase.This means that the lift, or lowering, of the part may start at a firstspeed and then accelerate or decelerate to another speed.

FIG. 4 shows a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method. Themethod 400 may comprise at least one of any of steps which may functionindividually or collectively in any combination. The method 400 maycomprise determining at least one of a lift speed and a speed schedulefor the part after a new part layer is applied, the maximum lift speedis based on at least one of a total geometry of the part, a geometry ofat least one layer previously applied, and the geometry of at least onelayer to be applied and moving the build table upward at the speed orschedule determined with the lifting device, at 410. As a non-limitingexample, the speed schedule may vary the speed during movement.

Another element of the method 400 may comprise determining a minimumlift height of a part being built with an additive manufacturing deviceafter a part layer is applied, the minimum lift height is based on atleast one of the total geometry of the part, geometry of at least onelayer previously applied, and a geometry of at least one layer to beapplied and moving the build table in an upward direction to the minimumlift height determined with a lifting device, at 420. Another element ofthe method 400 may also comprise determining a minimum release time oncethe part is raised to the minimum release height, the minimum releasetime is based on at least one of the total geometry of the part, thegeometry of at least one layer previously applied, and the geometry ofat least one layer to be applied, and delaying repositioning of thebuild table to the next layer application position until the determinedrelease time has expired, at 430.

Another element of the method 400 may further comprise determining amaximum lowering speed of the part, the maximum lowering speed is basedon at least one of the total geometry of the part, the geometry of atleast one layer previously applied, and the geometry of at least onelayer to be applied, at 440. The lowering speed may also have a loweringspeed schedule.

Another element of the method 400 may also comprise determining aminimum settle time once the part is repositioned for the next layerapplication, the minimum settle time is based on at least one of thetotal geometry of the part, the geometry of at least one layerpreviously applied, and the geometry of at least one layer to beapplied, and delaying directing electromagnetic radiation until thedetermined settled time has expired, at 450.

Information pertaining to the geometry of the part may be determinedbased on the image file that is being used to create the part. Thelifting height, speed and minimum release time may be based on an inflowrate of the photopolymer resin beneath the part layer created, when itis raised, to allow the resin to cover the inflow distance needed toreplenish the build plate.

The minimum settle time determination, at 440, may also compriseidentifying a worse case overhang occurrence for the part. The minimumsettle time may determine how long to wait before the radiation sourceis activated again once the part is lowered back onto the build plate tosqueeze out the excess resin. This calculation may be needed when a newlayer to be applied has a larger surface area, or build area, than theprevious layer created. Due to the thinness of the larger surface arealayer, returning it to the build table may result in the part of thislarger surface area that is of a same size as the previous created layerreaching a desire position first as the surface area without supportfrom the previous build layer possibly being bent upward before iteventually reaches the desired position. Thus, the unsupported surfacearea may take longer to squeeze out excess resin. Failure to providesufficient time to squeeze out the excessive resin may createdistortions in the part.

FIG. 5 shows a flowchart illustrating an embodiment of a method. Themethod 500 comprises maintaining a supply of a cure inhibitor at cureinhibiting reservoir, at 510. The method 500 further comprisesdispersing the cure inhibitor into a cure inhibiting distributor layer,the cure inhibiting distributor layer is in communication with the cureinhibiting reservoir and the cure inhibitor passes into a plurality ofchannels in the cure inhibiting distributor layer, at 520. The methodalso comprises distributing the cure inhibitor from the cure inhibitingdistributor layer to a cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer as thecure inhibitor may be depleted during creation of the additivemanufacturing part, at 530.

FIG. 6 shows a timeline illustrating an embodiment of the methoddisclosed in either FIG. 4 or FIG. 7. The timeline 600 begins at t=0where exposure of the part to the electromagnetic radiation occurs.Next, exposure to the electromagnetic radiation ends. Unlike the othertime durations disclosed herein, exposure time is dependent upon amaterial's characteristics. Energizing of the photopolymer resinmaterial occurs, namely, continues to occur for an amount of time afterthe electromagnetic radiation is turned off, and is identified as “startkick” which occurs at “end exposure.” “End kick” occurs whensolidification of the material stops. “Start lift” occurs, at the speedschedule to the minimum height, both determined as discussed above. “Endlift” next occurs. A “start release” time interval begins. This periodis provided to ensure that sufficient resin inflow required for theformation of the next layer has occurred. Upon the release time ending,at “end release,” “start lower” occurs. This is where the part may belowered back toward the build table to a distance comprising theprevious position plus the thickness of the new layer to be createdduring the next exposure. When the part is back in position, at the “endlower,” “start settle” occurs. Once “start settle” is complete, at “endsettle,” the process is back at t=0 with “start expose.” The “startkick,” “start lift,” and “start release” are each a pause in the buildprocess where each can be dynamically changed as desired. Each of theseactions, namely the timing, is determined within the method disclosedabove with respect to FIGS. 4 and 7. Timing of the lift and loweractions are further impacted by the method disclosed in FIGS. 4 and 7 asthe minimum height and time to reach and return from the minimum heightaffect this timeline 600.

FIG. 7 shows a flow chart illustrating an embodiment of a method. Themethod 700 comprises creating an additive manufactured part layer bylayer with an additive manufacturing device, at 710. The method 700 alsocomprises determining, with a processor, at least one of a speed and arate at which the additive manufacturing device at least one of lifts,delays, and lowers the part with respect to a build plate after anadditive layer has been added to the part based on sizing informationabout the part being built at least one of real-time during the buildprocess and prior to beginning the build process, at 720. The method 700further comprises operating the additive manufacturing device at one ofthe speed and the rate during a build process of the part to create thepart, at 730.

The limitations shown in FIG. 4 and further disclosed herein may beseparate dependent limitations of the method 700 shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 8 sets forth an illustrative computing functionality 1700 that maybe used to components on the additive manufacturing device. The methodprovided in FIGS. 4-7 may be used in association with the computingfunctionality 1700 disclosed below. In all cases, computingfunctionality 1700 represents one or more physical and tangibleprocessing mechanisms. The computing functionality 1700 may comprisevolatile and non-volatile memory, such as random access memory (RAM)1702 and read only memory (“ROM”) 1704, as well as one or moreprocessing devices 1706 (e.g., one or more central processing units(CPUs), one or more graphical processing units (Gus), and the like). Thecomputing functionality 1700 also optionally comprises various mediadevices 1708, such as a hard disk module, an optical disk module, and soforth. The computing functionality 1700 may perform various operationsidentified above when the processing device(s) 1706 execute(s)instructions that are maintained by memory (e.g., RAM 1702, ROM 1704,and the like).

Instructions and other information may be stored on any computerreadable medium 1710, including, but not limited to, static memorystorage devices, magnetic storage devices, and optical storage devices.The term “computer readable medium” also encompasses plural storagedevices. In all cases, computer readable medium 1710 represents someform of physical and tangible entity. By way of example, and notlimitation, the computer readable medium 1210 may comprise “computerstorage media” and “communications media.”

“Computer storage media” comprises volatile and non-volatile, removableand non-removable media implemented in any method or technology forstorage of information, such as computer readable instructions, datastructures, program modules, or other data. The computer storage mediamay be, for example, and not limitation, RAM 1702, ROM 1704, EPSOM,Flash memory, or other memory technology, CD-ROM, digital versatiledisks (DVD), or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetictape, magnetic disk storage, or other magnetic storage devices, or anyother medium which can be used to store the desired information andwhich can be accessed by a computer.

“Communication media” typically comprise computer readable instructions,data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated datasignal, such as carrier wave or other transport mechanism. Thecommunication media may also comprise any information delivery media.The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one or more ofits characteristics set or changed in such a manner as to encodeinformation in the signal. By way of example, and not limitation,communication media comprises wired media such as a wired network ordirect-wired connection, and wireless media such as acoustic, FRO,infrared, and other wireless media. Combinations of any of the above arealso included within the scope of computer readable medium.

The computing functionality 1700 may also comprise an input/outputmodule 1712 for receiving various inputs (via input modules 1714), andfor providing various outputs (via one or more output modules). Oneparticular output module mechanism may be a presentation module 1716 andan associated graphic user interface (“GUI”) 1718. The computingfunctionality 1700 may also include one or more network interfaces 1720for exchanging data with other devices via one or more communicationconduits 1722. In some embodiments, one or more communication buses 1724communicatively couple the above-described components together.

The communication conduit(s) 1722 may be implemented in any manner(e.g., by a local area network, a wide area network (e.g., theInternet), and the like, or any combination thereof). The communicationconduit(s) 1722 may include any combination of hardwired links, wirelesslinks, routers, gateway functionality, name servers, and the like,governed by any protocol or combination of protocols.

Alternatively, or in addition, any of the functions described herein maybe performed, at least in part, by one or more hardware logiccomponents. For example, without limitation, illustrative types ofhardware logic components that may be used include Field-programmableGate Arrays (Fogs), Application-specific Integrated Circuits (Asics),Application-specific Standard Products (Asps), System-on-a-chip systems(Sacs), Complex Programmable Logic Devices (Colds), and the like.

The embodiment disclosed with respect to FIGS. 2 and 3 may be utilizedin combination to further increase a build speed of a part. Thus, themethod disclosed in FIGS. 4-7 may be further accelerated with thetransparent build plate disclosed herein. This increased speed of themethod disclosed in FIGS. 4-7 is realized as a time taken to remove thepart from the build plate would be decreased.

The terms “module” and “component” as used herein generally representsoftware, firmware, hardware, or combinations thereof. In the case of asoftware implementation, the module or component represents program codethat performs specified tasks when executed on a processor. The programcode may be stored in one or more computer readable memory devices,otherwise known as non-transitory devices. The features of theembodiments described herein are platform-independent, meaning that thetechniques can be implemented on a variety of commercial computingplatforms having a variety of processors (e.g., set-top box, desktop,laptop, notebook, tablet computer, personal digital assistant (PDA),mobile telephone, smart telephone, gaming console, wearable device, anInternet-of-Things device, and the like).

The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particularembodiments only and is not intended to be limiting. As used herein, thesingular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.Furthermore, to the extent that the terms “including,” “includes,”“having,” “has,” “with,” or variants thereof are used in either thedetailed description and/or the claims, such terms are intended to beinclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising.” Moreover, unlessspecifically stated, any use of the terms first, second, etc., does notdenote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second,etc., are used to distinguish one element from another.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which embodiments of the inventionbelongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those definedin commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaningthat is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant artand will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal senseunless expressly so defined herein.

While various disclosed embodiments have been described above, it shouldbe understood that they have been presented by way of example only, andnot limitation. Numerous changes, omissions and/or additions to thesubject matter disclosed herein can be made in accordance with theembodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit or scopeof the embodiments. Also, equivalents may be substituted for elementsthereof without departing from the spirit and scope of the embodiments.In addition, while a particular feature may have been disclosed withrespect to only one of several implementations, such feature may becombined with one or more other features of the other implementations asmay be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.Furthermore, many modifications may be made to adapt a particularsituation or material to the teachings of the embodiments withoutdeparting from the scope thereof.

Further, the purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the U.S.Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally and especially thescientists, engineers, and practitioners in the relevant art(s) who arenot familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determinequickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of thistechnical disclosure. The Abstract is not intended to be limiting as tothe scope of the present disclosure in any way.

Therefore, the breadth and scope of the subject matter provided hereinshould not be limited by any of the above explicitly describedembodiments. Rather, the scope of the embodiments should be defined inaccordance with the following claims and their equivalents.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A system for releasing an additivemanufactured part from a build location having photopolymer resin, thesystem comprising: a cure inhibitor transport system to resupply a cureinhibitor at a cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer where theadditive manufactured part is built so that after formation of a partlayer of the part by hardening a portion of the photopolymer resin, theformed part layer rests on the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layeradjacent thereto, the transport system comprising: a cure inhibitingreservoir comprising a film to initially hold the cure inhibitor andbeing stacked below the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layercomprising an uncured photopolymer resin; and a cure inhibitingdistributor layer adjacent to and stacked above the cure inhibitingreservoir through which the cure inhibitor freely passes through thefilm of the cure inhibitor reservoir to the cure inhibited photopolymerresin layer and into the uncured photopolymer resin to impregnate theuncured photopolymer resin with the cure inhibitor to create the cureinhibited photopolymer resin layer; and a reference plate beingoptically transparent and positioned beneath and attached in stackedrelation to the cure inhibiting reservoir.
 2. The system according toclaim 1, wherein at least a part of the reference plate provides forillumination from a curing source to pass through the reference plateand from beneath the reference plate.
 3. The system according to claim1, wherein the film is an oxygen permeable film and the cure inhibitingreservoir comprises the oxygen permeable film and an oxygen permeablecoating and the cure inhibiting distributor layer comprises a pluralityof channels through which the cure inhibitor passes to reach the cureinhibited photopolymer resin layer.
 4. The system according to claim 1,wherein the cure inhibiting reservoir comprises polydimethylsiloxane. 5.The system according to claim 1, wherein the cure inhibiting reservoirhas a durometer between Shore 00 0 and Shore A 43; and furthercomprising a deformable layer below the cure inhibiting reservoir andhaving a durometer less than a durometer of the cure inhibitingreservoir.
 6. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cureinhibiting distributor layer comprises a plurality of channels throughwhich the cure inhibitor passes to reach the cure inhibited photopolymerresin layer.
 7. The system according to claim 1, wherein the cureinhibiting distributor layer comprises an amorphous fluoroplastic withan oxygen permeability of 700 Barrer and glass transition temperature of200 degrees Celsius.
 8. The system according to claim 1, wherein thecure inhibitor comprises a gas.
 9. A system for constructing athree-dimensional part, the system comprising: a surface that provides areference plate; a deformable layer adjacent to and stacked above thesurface; a cure inhibiting reservoir adjacent to and stacked above thedeformable layer and comprising a permeable film, the cure inhibitingreservoir configured to initially hold a cure inhibitor; a cureinhibiting distributor layer adjacent to and stacked above the cureinhibiting reservoir wherein the cure inhibiting distributor layer beingstacked below an uncured photopolymer resin configured to be impregnatedwith the cure inhibitor within the cure inhibiting reservoir to create acure inhibited photopolymer resin layer; and a securing element to holdin place the deformable layer, cure inhibiting reservoir, and cureinhibiting distributor layer to the surface.
 10. The system according toclaim 9, wherein the deformable layer comprises a gel with a durometerless than Shore A
 45. 11. The system according to claim 9, wherein thedeformable layer has a durometer less than a durometer of the cureinhibiting reservoir and a durometer of the cure inhibiting distributorlayer.
 12. The system according to claim 9, further comprising the cureinhibited photopolymer resin layer adjacent to and stacked above thecure inhibiting distributor layer wherein a formed part layer afterformation rests on the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer adjacentthereto.
 13. The system according to claim 12, wherein the cureinhibited photopolymer resin layer is created from the cure inhibitorthat initially resides in the cure inhibiting reservoir and freelypasses through the film and to the cure inhibiting distributor layer andinto the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer.
 14. The systemaccording to claim 9, wherein the surface is an optically transparentsurface.
 15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the surface, thedeformable layer adjacent to the surface, the cure inhibiting reservoir,and the cure inhibiting distributor layer each provides for illuminationof a curing source to pass through.
 16. The system according to claim 9,wherein the cure inhibiting reservoir comprises an oxygen permeable filmwith a durometer between Shore 00 0 and shore A
 43. 17. The systemaccording to claim 1, further comprising a frame located along at leastone edge of the cure inhibitor transport system and the reference plateto secure the cure inhibitor transport system and the reference plate inplace with respect to each other.
 18. The system according to claim 9,wherein the securing element comprises a frame; the permeable filmcomprises an oxygen permeable film and the cure inhibiting distributorlayer comprises a plurality of channels through which the cure inhibitorpasses to reach the cure inhibited photopolymer resin layer.
 19. Thesystem according to claim 9, wherein the securing element holds in placethe deformable layer, cure inhibiting reservoir, and cure inhibitingdistributor layer to the surface along at least one edge of thedeformable layer, cure inhibiting reservoir, cure inhibiting distributorlayer and the surface.